This invention relates to an apparatus for holding a supply of viscous material (e.g., drywall mud) and dispensing the viscous material to a texture-spraying type gun for applying the viscous material to a support surface (e.g., interior walls and ceilings). More particularly, an improved portable texture-spraying apparatus for uniformly dispersing a supply of viscous fluid according to a controlled pneumatic pressure provided by an integral pressure-control mechanism is disclosed.
Texture-spraying type guns are common in the construction industry. Typically, these guns are fed a viscous material from some form of container or hopper that is directly attached thereto. Further, the guns are adapted to apply the viscous material to treat some surface (e.g., texturing). However, application of the treatment is based on a rate at which the viscous material is fed thereto. This rate may be governed by a manual technique, gravity, or another imprecise source of power. Accordingly, the rate of feed is inconsistent. Consequently, the resultant treatment is uneven, includes obvious blemishes, and usually requires touch-up work. The present invention pertains to a system for regulating the rate of feed such that the gun receives viscous material in a consistent manner thereby greatly reducing these aforementioned problems in the present art.
In addition, the container or hopper directly attached to present guns carries a limited supply of viscous material to reduce operator fatigue. This limited supply extends the time required to perform a specific job due to a need to frequently reload with viscous material, thereby reducing efficiency. Alternatively, guns that are remote from a contained or hopper that can hold a large volume of viscous material lack flexibility as the maneuverability is restricted by the range of a tube for transporting the viscous material to the gun. The present invention provides a backpack frame feature that transfers the weight of a supply of viscous material to a user's torso, away from the user's hand, allowing the user to comfortably carry more viscous material at a time while promoting mobility while operating the gun.